Education in the Nordic Region
Education is one of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ top priorities, and the countries work together throughout the whole educational pathway – from nursery school to higher education and lifelong learning.
Although the education systems are national, the countries work closely together to develop them, systematically sharing knowledge and experiences. This page provides information about key areas in Nordic co-operation on education.
15 priorities for education policy in the Nordic Region
NURSERY SCHOOLS
- Play a key role in reducing social inequality – The aim is high-quality, inclusive and pedagogical provision for all pre-school children.
- High quality – Every child should enjoy a safe, stimulating and inclusive pedagogical environment with dedicated, well-trained staff who support their development, learning and well-being every day.
- Well-being – Every child should feel safe, welcome and included in a positive environment where they thrive, develop and feel confident enough to play and learn with others.
COMPULSORY SCHOOLING
- Basic skills – All of the Nordic countries face the challenge of falling attainment levels in reading, writing and arithmetic. It is important that these skills are improved.
- Well-being and digitalisation – Way in which schools can provide pupils with support and skills to make them digitally resilient and face up to the challenges of the digital age.
- Education that promotes participation in democracy – Schools must provide children and young people with the knowledge, skills and values that equip them to play an active, critical and responsible role in democracy.
FURTHER EDUCATION
- Well-being and support throughout – Good learning environments, close monitoring and effective guidance help more students complete their education, including young people at risk of dropping out of school or work.
- Education that meets society’s needs – Courses must reflect the needs of the labour market. This includes encouraging interest in vocational subjects and fields in which a need has been identified for more qualified people.
- Mobility and freedom of movement– Further education should enhance young people’s knowledge of and experience of the other Nordic countries. They should be able to move freely and study in schools throughout the Region.
HIGHER EDUCATION
- Mobility – Making it easy for students to take all or part of their degree in another Nordic country is a political priority.
- Sharing experiences – Educational institutions share experiences of the ongoing debates on topics such as academic freedom, the impact of artificial intelligence and responsible international co-operation.
- Common challenges – including attracting and retaining students at institutions outside the big cities.
ADULT EDUCATION
- Lifelong learning for all – Adults must have the opportunity to develop personally and to acquire new skills throughout their lives.
- Transitioning in the workplace – Providers work with companies to develop their training programmes and deliver them flexibly, including as on-the-job training.
- Skills for the future and inclusion – Adult education must support the workforce’s green and digital transitions. It must also seek to combat social exclusion and boost basic and digital skills, so that everyone has the opportunity to participate in society and the world of work.
Education, research and languages are essential to how we tackle social challenges, but individual countries can’t address them alone.
Further info
Nursery schools play a key role in the Nordic countries and are considered a vital part of both the individual child’s development and the welfare model.
Nursery schools are important for social integration. They are places where children from different backgrounds meet, which is good for social cohesion. For children from migrant backgrounds, nursery school is often the key to language learning and understanding social norms and values.
Early years education and care (ECEC) is a cornerstone of the Nordic welfare system, playing a vital role in personal development, family life and the long-term sustainability of society.
The Nordic co-operation on ECEC places particular emphasis on quality, inclusion and well-being.
See also:
INITIATIVE: Scandinavian research on early childhood education and care (Nordic Database of ECEC)
INITIATIVE: The research project Early Childhood Education and Care – an Investment in the Future (2024)
In the Nordic Region, compulsory schooling places great emphasis on strong values, high quality and an inclusive approach. The systems are based on equality, accessibility and the best interests of the child.
The teachers are highly qualified and enjoy good working conditions, which makes their teaching professional and provides stability in the school.
Inclusion is a key strength. Nordic schools proactively seek to meet pupils’ diverse needs and offer support through health schemes, provision for special educational needs and other resources.
Public funding and national curricula set out clear objectives and ensure consistent quality.
Teaching democracy is important. Pupils are encouraged to take part in decisions that affect them, which fosters a sense of responsibility and provides opportunities to participate in society.
The priorities for Nordic co-operation include basic skills, well-being, democracy, digitalisation and meeting the needs of vulnerable children and young people.
See also:
PROGRAMME: Nordplus Junior
NETWORK: The Democracy, Inclusion, Security (DIS) network, which falls under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers for Education and Research, consists of experts from the Nordic countries. The network’s mandate was renewed in 2025. The 2024 DIS report (in Swedish) provides an overview of the network’s activities to promote democracy in schools.
INITIATIVE: Northern Lights on Civic and Citizenship Education
INITIATIVE: Participation is protection – embedding children’s rights in Nordic crisis governance A Nordic Welfare Centre report on ways in which the Nordic countries – individually and collectively – can provide children and young people with greater opportunities to participate in society and develop personally after the COVID-19 pandemic.
INITIATIVE: NordForsk’s Welfare among Children and Young People in the Post-Pandemic Nordics
Higher education in the Nordic countries is based on the principles of equal opportunity, broad provision and scope for personal and academic growth. Well-being and good learning environments are essential if students are to complete their education and develop the skills needed for further education or work.
Priorities for Nordic co-operation include well-being, especially among those young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), and improving retention rates. ‘Futureproofing vocational education and training’ (VET) highlights factors that influence young people’s educational choices and measures to boost retention rates in vocational education and training.
Good guidance helps young people make informed choices and navigate the rest of their educational pathway. Nordic co-operation facilitates the exchange of experience and the building of networks between organisations that provide guidance and education portals.
Co-operation on education also places emphasis on tailoring educational provision to the needs of the labour market, particularly in fields where there is a shortage of labour, such as science and technology (STEM).
The Nordic Upper Secondary School Agreement seeks to improve mobility and encourage co-operation between the countries. It came into force in 2008. The agreement provides students with the opportunity to apply for admission to upper secondary schools in other Nordic countries on the same terms as local students.
See also:
AGREEMENT: The 2024 Upper Secondary School Agreement (in Swedish)
PROGRAMME: Nordplus Junior
INITIATIVE: Futureproofing VET in the Nordics
INITIATIVE: NLL NEET (Faroe Islands, Åland and Greenland)
Making it easy for students to take all or part of their degree in another Nordic country is a political priority. The countries work closely together on the mutual recognition of educational and professional qualifications at all levels, and support co-operation between the Nordic and Baltic guidance and education portals. In 2022, the Nordic ministers signed the Reykjavik Declaration on the automatic recognition of higher education qualifications.
The ways in which Nordic countries organise and deliver higher education are similar, as are the challenges they face. As such, it is important to share experiences and find ways to work even more closely together in as many fields as possible in order to make the Nordic Region stronger. Examples of Nordic HE stakeholders include the Nordic University Association (NUS), Nordic Five Tech and NORDTEK.
AGREEMENT: Agreement on Admission to Higher Education
AGREEMENT: The Reykjavik Declaration
PROGRAMME: Nordplus Higher Education
NETWORK: Nordic recognition information centres (NORRIC)
INITIATIVE: (Call for proposals –NordForsk) Nordic-Baltic education systems and 21st century challenges
INITIATIVE: Higher Education beyond major urban areas in the Nordics
Lifelong learning is a core Nordic value and a key objective for co-operation. The aim is to provide adults with the opportunity to develop their potential and acquire the skills needed in a rapidly changing job market.
Nordplus Adult is particularly heavily involved in the work. It promotes co-operation between educational stakeholders in the Nordic and Baltic regions. The Nordic Network for Lifelong Learning (NLL), which uses theme networks to develop policy and practices, also plays a key role. NLL enhances adult learning in continuing education and vocational development, skills assessment, basic skills via the Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIACC) network, digital inclusion and flexible skills development in the workplace.
The Nordic Council of Ministers’ initiative ‘Future Competencies’ provides analyses of the demands placed on the workforce by the green and digital transitions, demographic trends and global competition. The ‘Futureproofing VET in the Nordics’ initiative also focuses on the shortage of skilled labour and on how to encourage more young people to choose vocational education and training and play their part in the green transition.
Programmes, networks and current initiatives:
PROGRAMME: Nordplus Adult
PROGRAMME: Nordic Network for Lifelong Learning
NETWORK: PIAAC Nordic-Baltic
INITIATIVE: Future Competencies
INITIATIVE: Futureproofing VET in the Nordics
Useful links
Nordplus: Support for co-operation on education in the Nordic Region. The largest education programme, Nordplus, supports mobility, networking and projects in the Nordic and Baltic countries – from nursery school to higher education.
Info Norden – Helping people relocate in the Nordic Region. We provide information about education systems, financial support for students, admissions and the recognition of qualifications.
Nordic Committee for Children and Young People (NORDBUK)
NORDBUK is the Nordic Council of Ministers' advisory and coordinating body for issues relating to children and young people.
